


Shattering and Mending

by Jeageractive



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angsty Schmoop, Bromance to Romance, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Levi's taller than Eren by a bit, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-13
Updated: 2014-04-07
Packaged: 2018-01-12 02:04:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 17,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1180613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeageractive/pseuds/Jeageractive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren Yeager met his adoptive brother for the first time at age fifteen. </p><p>He wished that cocky,good looking fricker wasn't so good looking and cocky. </p><p>His heart says  otherwise.</p><p>(So much fluff it hurts. C:)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First fic,guys  
> Don't hate me too much for butchering this pairing  
> enjoy or not enjoy~

It wasn't a shock to Eren when his parents informed him of his brother's return, but that didn't make the prospect less nerve wrecking. 

 

He'd always heard of him,the older adoptive brother that was incredibly good looking, cocky, and perfect in every aspect (something he didn't quite believe). His mother, Carla Jaeger always spoke of him with such fondness, eyes glistening with tears at the little boy she hasn't seen in years. 

 

Grisha and Carla Yeager adopted him when he was about eight years old after giving up on having children of their own, a home sick child still haunted with nightmares of his parents' death. That same year, Carla found that she was a few months into her pregnancy without realizing. And so a baby boy soon opened his wide turqouise eyes, darting around with no real clarity as grey-blue eyes watched in wonder. From then Levi had tried to take the role of the responsible older brother that baby Eren got instantlty attached to.

 

But then everything slipped through Carla's fingers like liquid as she watched their small family desintegrate in front of her eyes. A distant relative from Paris wanted custody of Levi,and things went to court from there. Soon a twelve year old boy watched with distressed eyes as the family he'd grown attached to was once again torn away from him. Sure, he was young and could probably forget in time, but it was just another scar left to mar his soul. 

 

The boy, in fact,did not forget. After ten years Carla was finally was able to contact him, and she pleaded him to come back, because she didn't forget either and she needed to see him beside her again,even if it was for a short amount of time. 

 

Levi agreed, because it was the only other option than wasting his life on crime and running away from a gang that sought the wealth his parents left behind, details Carla hadn't known about. The relative wanted him for the same reason, and soon he was out on the streets at only thirteen. She got killed by the gang and Levi inherited the same wealth again. It was hilarious to him. Maybe after all these years, he could probably make up for his child hood that consisted of anything but family and love. 

 

So in the next year, he was flying back to Trost to a family that he hoped hadn't changed much, minus a certain turqouise eyed brat.

Carla was flustered all morning,all along the car ride to the airport and in front of the arrival gates. Grisha stood beside her,putting a reasuring hand on her shoulder lest she broke down into tears. Fifteen year old Eren waited nervously beside his mother,unsure what to expect.   
His questions were soon answered when an average heighted man with perfect looking dark, silky hair and half lidded,piercing eyes swept through the gates and surveyed the crowd.

 

Carla gasped an " It's him!" before running in his direction and taking him into her arms. After tears and greetings were exchanged, it was Eren's turn and he smiled almost shyly,something he didn't think he was capable of feeling, before he was pulled into an unexpected hug. Eren didn't mind, he was just a little surprised. He did smell pretty good and his voice was suprisingly deep and smooth and perfect without an accent, and he suddenly realized what people where talking about because his stomache was doing weird stuff already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I continue?


	2. Chapter 2

Carla fired questions at her son all along the ride home,who was sitting in the back with Eren. Grisha laughed and told her to let the boy catch his breath,so she reverted to sending warm smiles his way through the rear view mirror.   
Levi promptly took a shower after lunch and made Eren his butler until he got up to his room,because he was absolutely exhausted from the long trip. The brunet heaved the suit case up the stairs with a grunt, Levi padding up behind him.  
"Why the hell do I have to do this?" he grumbled for the third time up the first flight of stairs.  
"Because I've been pulling that thing around for almost two days. So quit bitching." Levi retorted,to which Eren sighed loudly."This bag has a bomb in it, I swear." He strained his muscles for one last step before throwing it down and pulling out the handle.  
The raven smirked before grabbing the suitcase from Eren. Said boy trudges down the hallway to the guest bed room and Levi followed.   
He speculated the room closely before nodding in approval. "Could've been cleaner. But it'll do." He tossed his suitcaise in,threw his trench coat off and plopped down into bed.   
Eren was gaping at him."Do you even realize how much time it took us to clean this thing because of your freaky cleaning fetish? Yes, us. It took more than one person to clean one damn room." 

"Shut up and let me sleep. We'll have this argument later." Levi muttered tiredly.  
Eren rolled his eyes before quietly closing the door and letting him sleep. He could definitely get used to this. He grinned to himself as he skipped down the stairs.   
Monday's events were him getting interrogated by his friends at school as soon as he mentioned that he had a brother in the first place and that he'd returned. It was going pretty hilariously as they all ran their mouths about assumptions, like maybe he had Eren's anger management issues too,or maybe he was really old and wrinkly and grumpy.   
"uhm, actually.." Eren began to stop the argument that was happening at the lunch table with a slight laugh. "I'd say he's alot like Mikasa. And he's adopted so no,he doesn't look like me."  
Okay,so now he made matters worse because Reiner was on his feet while ymir slammed her fists against the table and Eren had no freaking why it was so important to argue about Levi.  
Things weren't that bad,well, until Jean opened his mouth and talked shit about things he had no clue about.   
He called Levi a famous criminal and druggie that even he knew about, and how he probably was the one who burned the house down on his own parents.  
Eren flipped the cafeteria table in Jeans direction with one hand. A table with twelve people sitting around it.   
There was screaming as trays of food were hurled into the air, but the turquoise eyed male was too blinded with seething rage to notice anything other than the damage he was inflicting on Jean. A punch square in the mouth, knocking two teeth.  
He was forcefully stopped by their principal Nile after a while, who pulled him off of jean with all his strength.   
Nile ranted about how he was going to expel Eren because he was absolutely done with him acting uncivilly while said boy was seated in the office, hands fisted at his knees as he tried to contain himself.   
Jean was sitting across from him, battered and bloody but refusing to go to the nurse's office, instead waiting for his father to arrive.

Eren regretted nothing,and he was going to say that in his mother and Nile's face as soon she came.   
Jean's father was already present when Levi stepped into the office, and Eren glanced up at him with surprise. The raven grimaced when he took in Jeans state, before walking up to his younger brother with a concerned scowl.   
Nile shut up when he saw Levi, giving him a quizzical stare."And you are...?"  
"His adoptive brother."  
"Since when did-"  
"That's not what we're discussing right now." he deadpanned.  
Nile's lip dipped into a snarl for a moment,before he invited both ends into his office.  
The small meeting ended quite quickly, with Levi arguing the fact that Jean triggered his brothers reaction which ended with Nile exasperatedly giving both a day of suspension.  
Levi was quiet on their ride back home in Carla's Mercedes, and Eren couldn't help but feel uncomfortable and slightly guilty for some reason. Both Jean and Eren refused to say what Jean had said in the first place, but they figured out that it had to do with Levi, which is probably why the brunet was feeling bad right now. This was a terrible imppression for only the second day of them knowing each other.  
Eren was suprised when the other spoke."Hey,I'm not going to chastise you or anything." he began almost hesitantly.  
"It's nice to know that you stood up for me, although you should keep in mind that violence isn't really the solution to anything."  
Eren stared at him quietly from his seat for a moment, not really sure what to say other than a small "Sorry."  
Levi smirked. "You should've said that to the person who lost his teeth because of you."  
Eren folded his arms and pouted." He deserved it."  
The raven sighed,rolling his eyes. "Not like I just gave you a moral. You never listen,do you?"  
They were parking in the drive way of their house when Eren grinned."Nope."


	3. Chapter 3

Levi never expected this to happen.

He'd let his gaurd down, went mellow and let the flow of the family's charismetic tendencies and the normalacy of his life get to him.

He thought he'd absorbed enough of the consequences of attachment to know better.  
Petra died.  
Erwin moved on to better things.

He went cold, refused to let his emotions get the better of him.

But here was now.

The realization of just how much he cared hit him when he was on the verge of losing that person again.  
When Eren almost drowned one day, months after his arrival.

They were at the beach of Trost's river, Levi, Eren, Mikasa and Armin. Their parents were barbecuing a short distance away.

Eren drenched Mikasa with water before she had a chance to change into her swim apparel, and she chased after him with a murderous look while he screamed and ran away.   
He waded into the water and started going in deeper and deeper until just a small amount of his neck was above the surface.

The sharp eyed girl reverted to just smacking him on the head before swimming back to shore.

Levi looked back after a short amount of time to where Eren seemed to be flailing around the water, but it was also hard to tell if that's what he was doing because he was a good distance away.

He didn't why he felt kind of uneasy, but he shrugged it of for a moment and went back to their stupid sand sculpturing competition.

Carla called to them after a while that everything was ready and that they should come eat, and the two teens headed in their direction.

Levi squinted into the distance from his place on the ground at the water.

His eyes skimmed over the area he'd seen the brunet before, wich was now completely still and empty.  
He glanced around the beach and the near water, back at their cluster of family then back at the river water.

  
His heart dropped when he saw something small float in the distance, and he vaguely heard his mother calling his name.

Then one moment he was bolting across the pebbles and sand, the other he was plunging into the water.

He couldn't seem to swim fast enough.

There was panicked yelling behind him when the situation probably hit them, because Eren was nowhere and there was something floating where he was moments ago.

Levi was always calm, because there wasn't much that can rile him up and get a decent reaction from him. He had his emotions at a minimum, apathy and logic keeping him in control of his life.

So why the hell did it feel like his heart was about to leap out of his throat? The water was never this heavy before, his muscles never this stiff and useless, mind never this hazy without any toxins running through his body.

Apathy turned into fear, and control turned into panick.

And as soon as he got closer, the more that mop of brown hair bobbing above the water increased in clarity.

"Fuck." The raven cursed between gritted teeth, before he was finally able to reach out and feel his body just under the water. He wasted no time in heaving him out and draping one of his arms across his shoulder so he could keep him above the water.  
  
He didn't glance at him,he was too afraid, but could feel the coldness of his cheek against his arm as he began to swim back.

Breathe. Levi told himself as he swam as fast as he could with the weight of another person. He needed to fucking breathe, calm down, feel indifferent again but he couldn't thanks to one brilliant Eren Jaeger.

He finally felt sand beneath his feet again, and there were voices, lots of them, but he ignored them all and somehow managed to put Eren onto his back carefully.

The raven dropped to his knees by the still unconcious boy and checked to see if he was breathing, even though he knew the answer well enough.

Eren was incredibly pale with a bluish hue, skin feezing against Levi's hand as he started pushing down with chest compressions.   
1,2,3,4,5,...30.

He tilted the younger boy's chin upward, covered his mouth with his own and breathed for him twice.

The process was repeated many times, and Levi lost count . It was beginning to be very difficult for him to breath, but his actions were still induced by adrenaline.

Carla was crying, people were talking, and Levi wanted to tell them to shut up because there was only one thing he wanted to hear right now.

For once it happened, somebody up there listened to him, and Eren coughed, a small choked noise before it turned into a coughing fit.

His chest moved under Levi's palm, and said man suddenly went limp with relief.

  
He moved back to sit on the sand as he heard sirens, resting his forehead in the heel of his hand ,resisting the urge to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I deleted the wrong chapter last time then put it up again,which is why it was a weird update


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad stuff happen in this chapter. Bad stuff.

Levi yelled at Eren this time, as soon as he'd woken up in the ambulance.  
He hadn't been this frustrated in a long time,and he let it out on Eren, who just stared at him with wide eyes that held a bit of underlying fear.  
He probably ruined the godly image his younger brother had made in his mind. Who the hell cared? He told him he was a total idiot, he was so stupid, because why the hell would he swim that deep if he didn't know how to fucking swim?

 

When his rant was over, he hugged him quickly and hopped out of the ambulance like nothing happened.

 

Eren stared at the door with utter confusion, not really proccessing the sudden change. And was Levi actually capable of expressing anything other than annoyance and boredom? If the brunet didn't know better, he'd say he was worried. Sighing,he threw an arm over his eyes.He just couldn't understand that man.

 

As soon as Levi was out on ground again, Mikasa appeared in front of him with a deadly expression adorning her face.

"You scolded him for drowning?" She asked incredously.

When Levi just quirked a brow in an ' your point is?' expression, her lips thinned into a firm line.  
"You have no right to do that."  
Levi was taken aback by her words. That coming from her? really? He leaned down until he was level with her height before retorting," Says the one who lead him into the deep end in the first place."  
He knew that was a low blow, but she totally asked for it. Levi didn't wait to see her reaction, knowing that things just got even more sour in between them as he walked away.

 

After that incident, Levi saw Mikasa way more than usual. At their house with Eren, in the yard with Eren, walking to and from school with Eren, Going out everywhere with Eren, doing homework at her house with Eren, Basically she was Eren's shadow. 

 

Levi didn't have any objections or anything, but Eren just seemed so oblivious to her presence. It was hard not to notice that she definetily had something for him, and Levi dropped a few hints on Eren that he didn't seem to get either.  
Armin and Mikasa were once over at their house, and the three teens were chilling in the living room while Levi was filling out this college application on the kitchen table.

"I'll go grab popcorn and stuff for the movie." Eren said.

The raven heard Mikasa mumble a small "I'll come with you."

Smirking, he sang Mikasa's theme song loud enough so they could hear."I follow him.."  
He heard Armin snicker."I follow him wherever he may go~"

 

Eren poked his head into the kitchen,staring at Levi quizzically.

Levi blinked back at him blankly for a moment before sighing." You're the fucking stupidest person I have ever met."

Eren sputtered, pouting indiginantly. "Where did that come from? You're mean."

He strutted into the kitchen, heading to the fridge.

Mikasa appeared after him, giving Levi a glare that would intimidate anyone else.

"Want anything?" Eren asked as he opene the fridge and  
poked his head in it.

"Tea." Levi replied as he scrawled on the paper.

Eren glanced up from the fridge."How do I make tea?"  
"You don't. It just happens."

Mikasa huffed before grabbing a can of coke and tossing it to Levi.

"He's not serious,Eren."

"I hate coke." Levi stared at the red can in his hand.

"Let's just make some t-"

"Eren,don't be such a pushover." Mikasa grumbled before shoving said boy out of the kitchen."I'll get the food. You go set up the movie."

Okay. So she was also trying to make Eren spend less time with me, the raven thought.

He watched the scene and and continued to stare at Mikasa when she turned around, to which she glared and fumbled with her scarf, which Levi noticed was a nervous habit of hers. 

"Trying to act tough, eh?"

Mikasa sighed. "Don't tell Eren. Please."

Levi was surprised at her almost vulnerable display, so he didn't take advantage of it.

When he just shrugged,she mumbled a "you know, don't you?"

"Kinda hard to miss. You chose the thickest person alive,though."

She cracked a very small smile at that. The first Levi had ever seen.  
"I just..wanna tell him when I'm ready."

"Cute. You have my blessing. Now, shoo. I have crap to finish." He was serious, he didn't have anything against the girl, she was the one who seemed to hate him.

Levi returned back to the almost finished application form and Mikasa went to get food. 

Armin left after the movie, and Levi had to drop off the application form, so the two teens were left on their own.

Before Levi left, he poked his head into the living room.  
"Use a condom." He teased.

Mikasa threw a pillow at his face which he dodged then headed to the door, but not before seeing Eren's horrified expression. That could penetrate through his thick skull, couldn't it?

When Levi returned, though, Mikasa was gone. And the living room looked like it had went through World War One.

"Eren, come clean up your fucking mess right now." He knew he probably sounded like Carla, but he couldn't help it. It was disgusting.

 

He was also glad Carla had errands to run, or else she might've flipped at his language. Sure, he was an adult and shit, but not by motherly standards. Grisha was never home, always abroad on business trips and what not, so he was safe.

"Eren." Levi called again when he didn't get an answer.

Sighing, he took the steps up by twos and slammed Eren's bedroom door open. The brunet was lying on his bed with his headphones on, but when Levi made his fabulous entrance he nearly fell out.

 

"What the hell dude?!" He breathed.

"Go clean up your shit right fucking now." 

 

Eren rolled his eyes and actually made his way across the room to the door, and well, that never happened. He was always such a rebellious brat. 

Levi plucked the boys headphones off if his head and stared at him quizzically.  
"Where's your girlfriend?"

Eren crossed his arms and glared up at Levi. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Okay. Where's your stalker?"

Eren huffed at that but answered anyway. "She left."

"No shit, Jeager bomb. I mean, what the hell did you do to make her leave?"

The younger scratched at the back of his neck and sighed.

"You know how we're like, bffs and all that jazz? She kinda made it awkward and told me that she liked me."

"So you told her that she's being awkward."  
"No, I told her I don't like her that way. And she actually cried, Levi. Mikasa. Crying." 

Eren gave levi a horrified expression.

Said man whistled."Must have had it bad, then."

"Exactly. I feel terrible right now."

And as and after thought, he added quietly." I never was completely straight, anyway."

Realizing what he'd just said his eyes widened and blood rushed to his face. He glanced at Levi who was giving him a look of amusement.

"Don't you dare tell mom."

As if on cue, the door clicked open and the rustling of plastic could be heard.

"Mom," Levi called with a smirk. " Eren's stuck deep in the closet." 

Eren paled and he smacked a hand on Levi's mouth. 

"What did you say, dear?" Carla called back.

Levi easily pried Eren's fingers off of his mouth."I said,"

Eren pulled at the hem of his shirt with pleading eyes. " Eren's closet is really dirty." 

"tell me about it." She replied.  
The brunet sighed deeply and punched Levi's arm.

"Hey," he added quietly."you won't judge me,right?"

Levi rolled his eyes." I ain't straight either. So breathe."

The raven left Eren blushing even more and mind going on overload.  
Why did that just make him incredibly hotter?

_______________________

 

Things were going pretty fine after that, with Carla still refusing to let Levi move out, and said man getting into college and buying a sports bike that Eren was still drooling over. Grisha was still rarely at home.  
Other than Levi's weird feelings for his younger brat that he'd never act upon, life was stable.

 

Until one terrifying after noon.

Eren had returned from school and parted ways with Mikasa, which he'd made up with and returned their relationship to just platonic.

He padded up their front porch and into the house, expecting none other than his mother to be at home due to Levi's classes. He dropped his bag and headed into the kitchen to where his mother would most likely be, but to his surprise finding it empty and pristine.  
" Mom?" He called, to which no one answered. He suspected she'd be doing laundry in the basement, which is why she didn't here him.

He trudged down the stairs and into the laundry room to find it empty again. He felt uneasy all of a sudden as he quickly went up the stairs and into the hallway to check the living room, and a wave of relief washed over him when he saw Carla asleep on the couch with her back to Eren, covered with a light blanket.

He crossed the room over to her.

"Mom." He shook her shoulder lightly and her head lolled to his side at the movement, face covered with cascading blood from a bullet wound on her forehead.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is written so badly omigod
> 
> My comfort zone is hugs and cute touches, btw you'll never see smut  
> I'll try to make them kiss at some point lol

-"Mom." He shook her shoulder lightly and her head lolled to his side at the movement, face covered with cascading blood from a bullet wound on her forehead.-

Eren's first reaction was to whip his head around with a gasp and yank the blanket over her face, before staggering back a few steps and collapsing to the ground.

His mind raced with only one thought as he covered his face with his hand and tried to breathe more easily.  
No no no no no no, that was not real, he was having a terrible nightmare, no that was not his mother. No.

No.

As soon as he'd look back again she'd be smiling warmly at him and would take him into her arms to soothe him from this messed up dream.

He was trying so hard to convince himself that this wasn't real.

But when he dared to look up again she was still lying with the blanket covering her, arm dangling at the edge of the couch lifelessly.

And that's when his first sob broke out, choked and anguished.

This was all real. 

This was all fucking real.

He couldn't do anything other than curl around himself and scream into his hands, because which kind of monster would do this? Shock suddenly turned into utter hatred and rage and he fisted a hand through his hair, vowing to kill whoever it was with his own hands.

His body shook with sudden blood lust as his mind went into a dark realm, one he'd never known before.

Kill them. In the most fascinating ways. Blood.

Lots of crimson.

He hadn't heard the sound of the door or the padding of footsteps in his own stupor, only looking up when his name was called quietly.

Levi was standing there with a confused expression at first, but gunmetal blue eyes flashed with something resembling shock when he saw the look on the younger boy's face.

It scared him. Because it was a reflection of the same glint he had not too long ago. 

But Eren was so innocent. It didn't belong there.

His gaze turned to the couch and he silently walked over to it.  
He braced himself as he grasped the edge of the blanket and tugged.  
_________________________________

The funeral was when the reality of the situation hit hard, ending all doubt of Carla's death. 

There were lots of tears and black, lots of people and few words outside of the speeches. There was also her child, the one who's cries and wails where the most heart wrenching, because he was still only a kid, still needed his mother. 

Levi was the only one who was feeling sickeningly guilt ridden, because all of it was his fault.

He knew exactly who it was. He didn't need evidence, all he needed to know was that they found him again and   
still with the same motive. 

He wished it was about the money, he'd give it all without batting an eyelash but it wasn't anymore. 

It was about revenge, about hurting him now.

 

He killed Carla. It was all on him.

And if he didn't do something about it Eren would be next.

__________________

They moved out of their home promptly after the incident.

Grisha came for the funeral, and left back to wherever the hell right after the last of their boxes were in their new house.

Levi promised himself to never rely on that insensitive bastard and wouldn't let Eren need to. He had another year in college before he could get himself a job in business, and he had more than enough money to last them by then.   
__________________

Eren could only be described as emotionally dead, being unresponsive and spaced out for a good percentage of his time. He didn't go to school for a week, and even after he went back his friends were devastated by his still numb state.

What scared Levi the most was the flicker of life that was always in Eren's eyes, the passion in every single moment of his life, that was now a dull reflection of jade and a mere will to exist only. 

He didn't fight, didn't get angry, didn't cry. Didn't punch the asshole that hit on Mikasa on their way back home.

Didn't yell back at Jean when he called him a wuss for reacting to his mother's death like he did.

Didn't blink an eyelash when Armin was crying in front of him, begging him to open up and say something, answer him, that he was going to go insane with his own inner turmoil if he didn't let it out.

Didn't cry on Levi's shoulder when he woke up from one of his nightmares that only he screamed in when he was asleep.

And Levi watched it all silently, tried to be there when and if he needed him, but did nothing more. 

\- Weeks later-

Eren was leaning against the school's brick wall, bag laying carelessly by his feet and hands stuck in his pockets.

It was way passed home time and the parking lot and yard were empty of bustling and obnoxious students, and he waited because Levi had some stuff to discuss with his professor and couldn't pick him up yet. He couldn't walk back home either because now his school was farther away thanks to their new house.

So he waited, mindlessly staring at the cracks in the concrete beneath his feet, losing focus of his surroundings.

He was deep in thought when suddenly he was tugged harshly forward by the collar of his sweater.

He found himself staring back at middle aged woman with short blond hair and a terrifying grin.

"Sooo," She drawled, grin spreading wider if that was even possible."You're the cute little squirt that's messing up our ties with Levi, hmm?"

Eren blinked back at her silently, inwardly confused.

She clicked her tongue before swiftly ramming him against the wall with the same hand, earning a small gasp from the brunet.

"You're so good at playing innocent." Her grin subsided into a fake sweet smile before letting go of his shirt and letting him slide down to the ground."I'll make this quick, don't worry."

Eren looked back up to find her reaching back to her hip and pulling out a gun with a silencer, doing so in a slow fashion before aiming at his forehead. 

his stomach dropped because this was somehow oddly familiar. 

"Look at me." She hissed, and the brunet swallowed thickly, blinking into the open yard where her body wasn't obscuring the view.

His racing mind registered a figure getting closer in the distance.  
Oh. Levi. 

"I said look at me." She snapped again, before grabbing his chin and jerking his head upward.

He watched with eyes glazed over as her grin returned full blown and the click of the gun was heard.

Wasn't he supposed to fight back? Yell at her, knock the gun out of her hand and aim it back at her or something?

When has resolve to fight,fight,fight changed?

When had he got the heart to let her do something like this to Levi? Because it didn't matter to him when he'd be dead, it'd matter to everyone else.

"Fight, dammit!" That was definitely Levi's voice.

The blonde whipped her head around in shock when she heard that, and Eren took his chance and grabbed the gun out of her hand in one swift motion.

She gasped and turned back at that, and Eren didn't now where he got the courage to scramble up and aim it at her with shaky fingers.

She staggered back a few steps and bumped right into Levi.

Before any more action could be done she hightailed it across the parking lot and out of their sight.

The gun fell from Eren's grasp to the ground with a clank before he felt himself being pulled into Levi's embrace from his hand, and he clung onto him shakily.  
"Don't ever do that again. You're much stronger than that." Levi breathed, and Eren cried hard on Levi's shoulder this time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is just a lame ass filler

Eren's next day at school was incredibly crowded for him.  
All he said was 'hi' back at Armin in their second class before all of his friends were suddenly hugging him around every corner. He had to literally shake Connie off of his arm by the lunch bell, and his reasoning was OMIGOD YOU'RE TALKING TO ME!!

Even Jean got a brofist in return that day.

"I'm...sorry guys." Eren mumbled as they were stepping into the lunch room.

"You shouldn't be." Mikasa said softly from behind her scarf.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." Reiner jumped in." But what happened all of a sudden? To make you change sorta, I guess."

Eren's jaw clenched as he recalled the other day, but he tried to shrug it off."It's nothing. Guess I realized it was time I stopped sulking."

They didn't comment much further on that as they sat around their usual table, but it wasn't hard to notice that something else was behind his sudden recovery.

Eren had forgotten, more like neglected to pack a lunch due to him being used to small amounts of food in his previous routine.

He refused everyone's offers to go buy him a lunch kindly, because he actually didn't have the appetite.

He groaned when Mikasa nearly shoved her sandwich into his mouth.

"I am fine, thank you very much, now stop it. For fuck's sake, I don't wanna eat."

Sasha stared at him with an almost comical expression of disbelief before waving a fry in front of his face."You don't want it?" She asked.

Eren giggled a little."No."

They got the message and stopped pestering Eren, and a few minutes later their conversation yet again went into Levi's direction. Why? No one knew.

Eren groaned and held his head with his hands, dreading where this was going.

"So apparently he is grumpy and old.We were right. Mikasa said so." Connie leaned his arms onto the table as he said this.

Mikasa nodded in approval and Eren gave her a 'wtf were you thinking' stare.

Krista seemed to disagree with this." You're being rude. Armin said he was only twenty-two."

Ymir threw an arm around the petite girl's shoulder with a sly grin." Exactly. So don't waste your pretty little mind thinking about him."

Connie drawled a 'gaaayyyy' and ymir kicked him under the table.

Renier was rubbing his chin in thought for a moment.  
"So let's count off what we have so far." Bertholdt sighed as Renier started ticking off on his fingers, clearly unintruged by the idea of unraveling the mystery that was Levi.

"He's old," tick."He's pissy, He's OCD, he's a midget, yeeeeeah. Very relatable to Napoleon." He looked up and nodded.

"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock." Annie replied with a straight face.

Eren sighed and shook his head, he was not even gonna argue because whatever the hell Mikasa had told them must've done a lot of damage.

"Sorry to interrupt," Eren heard from behind him, and he turned around and gaped when he saw Levi glancing back at him.

"But this brat here forgot his basic necessity to live." He grabbed Eren's ear to emphasize his point, to which said boy cringed and tried pulling away. "Ow! What the fu- don't you have classes or something?" He finally was able to pull away and glare up at the raven who narrowed his eyes back.

Eren noticed that he was clad in his biking apparel with a deep blue shirt that complemented his eyes,leather jacket and gloves, blue jeans and knee-high leather boots.

It wasn't really goth, but still gave him a dark and professional aura.

"I told you to pack a lunch, didn't I?" Levi said flatly as he looked down on the brat, pleased with the extra height with Eren sitting to be more intimidating.

"Sorry mom." The brunet mockingly replied, and suddenly he was choked by bread shoved into his mouth.

Levi casually pushed half of the sandwich into his mouth before tossing a juice box in front of him.

He patted the mess of brown locks lightly before turning his gaze to the oddly silent table.

"Au revoir." He droned before turning around and strutting out of the lunchroom.

After Eren recovered from his coughing and sputtering fit and the sandwich was out of his mouth, he noticed everyone's almost frozen state.

"Please don't tell me that was him." Sasha whimpered, pleadingly gazing at Eren.

Said boy quirked a brow in confusion. "That was him, though."

Connie instantly pressed his knees to his chest and stared at the table with a horrified expression, repeating a mantra of "I'm straight, I'm straight. I'm straight, I'm dating Sasha, I'm straight..."

Ymir whistled. "Dat ass."

Krista glanced at her hands with a crestfallen expression.

"Old?" Annie uttered with disbelief ."Grumpy OCD midget? More like dark, sexy mother fucker. Mikasa, you need glasses."

Mikasa scoffed and folded her arms.

Well yeah, Levi was drop dead gorgeous and all but not like Eren liked all this attention. He never did enjoy sharing anyway. Levi was his, in whatever way that was.

"Hey, Eren" Jean began and the addressed boy turned to him. "I want his number."

Armin's expression to turned to that of 'oh shit' as he saw Eren's darkening look.

"I thought he was an underworld criminal?" Eren spat out, narrowing his eyes dangerously. "Now why would you like to be associated with someone like that?"

Armin chuckled nervously, grabbing Eren's rigid arm in case he needed to hold him back.

"Jean's just kidding, right?" The blond gave Jean a pointed look and said boy raised his hands in front of him in a withdrawal gesture."Whoa, easy there."

"Eren." Armin whispered."Calm down."

Eren still Gave Jean a scowl but he eased back into his chair again.

"He's so shallow minded. Going just for the looks." Eren hissed under his breath, and Armin sighed. 

Stupid horse face and his hypocrisy, Eren thought as he angrily bit into his sandwich.

Oh wow, that tasted good.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> soooo, I have absolutely no clue where this is going so far XD  
> I know nothing about gangs and stuff, I apologize.
> 
> BTW PLZ READ THIS I KINDA NEED YOUR OPINION:
> 
> I'm going to physically hurt one of these two babies real bad.
> 
> So which one? lol that is the question. I have a very evil plan for hurting either but I should try to stop paining Eren bby for once or something. then fluff will ensue.  
> Idk, what do you think?

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Levi asked for the thousandth time that hour and Eren rolled his eyes and gave him a light push in the door's direction.

"God, for the last damn time, yes, I won't blow up the house while you're gone."

The raven gave him a skeptical look and Eren stuck his tongue out at him.

Levi was going back to Paris for two weeks, and he wanted to make the brat stay at the Ackerman's but he refused and promised to drag both Mikasa and Armin to their house most of the time.

Eren Thought he wanted to visit the relatives he'd stayed with or something, completely oblivious to Levi's past and it's affect on his present life. 

"Come onnnn, you're gonna miss your flight." Eren grumbled before grabbing Levi's suitcase and wheeling it to the door.

"That eager to get rid of me?"

"No, the earlier you go, the earlier you'll come back."

Levi smirked fondly at the brat as he tugged his shoes on then stood up.

Eren was glancing at him with a strange expression, unintentionally going into sad puppy eye mode.

He wouldn't admit it, but that was his major soft spot and he couldn't help but take the brunet into his arms for a moment.

"Be safe, brat."

"I said I won't blow it up." Came his irritated and muffled response.

Levi placed a kiss on the crown of his head before letting go of him and grabbing his suitcase, and Eren watched as he strode out and along the pavement leading to their house.

He threw a glance over his shoulder and Eren grinned, suddenly feeling something heavy tugging at his chest when Levi smiled softly back at him.

Behind the closed door, he shakily wiped at his moist eyes and couldn't get Levi's smiling image out of his head, feeling like it was the last time he was going to see him or something terrible like that. 

But he was just an over reactive brat, he tried reassuring himself. 

___________________

There was the sound of an impatient tap,tap,tap as Levi glowered down at the screen of his phone, waiting for his flight number to be called and for his phone to vibrate again.

He looked at his message again, which read: 'I'm Leaving Trost now. We'll meet at the same place and time.'

It sounded like he was making a business deal or something, but really, that was how much that shitty gang values human life.

This whole conflict was dragging for two long, and Levi was sick and tired. The amount of damage it had done to his life from it's beginning when he was fourteen was unbelievable.

The first time was an innocent mistake; graffiti on part of their territory, but he never saw the last of it as issue pulled in issue. 

He almost felt guilty about not telling Eren that the first thing he'll do when he steps into Paris was grab a gun and knife and face one of the worlds most dangerous people, but it was worth it. Feeling safe again was definitely worth it.

His lips thinned when he got a message of conformation of their meeting. This was it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm terrible
> 
> and so is this chapter
> 
> you guys should listen to shattered by trading yesterday, it goes with this
> 
>  
> 
> Edit: I just realized how much you can actually fit in a suitcase

It wasn't easy for Eren to be alone like this, although he did have Mikasa visiting everyday with some of her mother's cooking.  
Armin visited for most days, but it was still a strange and empty house without Levi.

He even missed his cooking, which was completely French but still delicious. Eren could only identify crepes, baguette and onion soup so far.  
Everything else was weird but also amazing.

Kinda like Levi.

Eren still never got over the uneasiness at the pit of his stomach, but would feel a bit better when they texted each other late at night until one of them fell asleep.

And realistically, it was only a few days but seemed to extend much more in Eren's mind.

____________________

 

Levi knew Erwin well enough to know that when he was informed of his plans, he'd talk his ear off about his own opinion.

"What you're doing is plain suicide, Levi. You've become so reckless. Do you really think you could take a bunch of professional criminals on your own?" 

They were sitting in the blond's living room, one across from each other, and Levi stared back at the man with an indifferent expression, chin resting in his hand.

"Got any better ideas?" He asked, although knowing the answer.

"The most logical one, which is to keep yourself and that brother of yours as far as possible from them." Erwin stated matter-of-factly.

Levi gave him an 'are you an idiot?' look. "Already did. All the way to Trost. You know what I gained from that? Eren's dead mother and an attempt at killing the boy."

Erwin quirked a thick brow. "His mother?"

Levi's expression conveyed that he won't explain, so Erwin went back to their topic.

"You need to quit being such an idiot and think about the teenager you've left behind. Didn't you say he was your responsibility?"

The raven glowered at the man across from him." That's exactly why I'm doing this. I can't let him die because of my own mistakes."

Contemplative eyes watched him intently for a moment, before that same serious glint returned. "Levi...you should-"

"I didn't come here to consult you about this." He interjected. "I've already made up my mind. What I want to know is if you'll help me."

Erwin seemed taken aback."You know how I feel about this. I'm getting married in four months. I can't just simply risk my life."

Levi felt like he was rubbing it in his face or something, but it didn't stir anything inside of him. Erwin was a thing of his past. A past he'll completely forget and leave behind in a few days.

"No, don't risk you're pretty ass. I just want you to be behind the scenes. Since your a policeman and all, the situation wouldn't need to drag to court after I'm done."

He knew by the look in Erwin's eye that he got a deal.

\- 2 days later-

Levi's morning was spent in preparations for the night, which was mostly getting his weapons ready and making different scenarios of the night in his mind. 

The gang he was facing was actually a division of an international organization which named themselves the Titans, and the least of them were in France, the five that he knew by heart. 

If he killed them, then he'd be free again because each division acted on their own, so the conflict was only between Levi and them.

It was definitely risky, but Levi had set his mind on that resolve and wouldn't back down easily.

He almost did, though, when his phone vibrated in his pocket right before he left for the evening.

Pulling it out, he glanced at the text he received from Eren.

'i miss you  
no one's here to bitch about my messy room'

He cracked a small smile at that, before sending a quick ' Then pretend I'm there and clean it up.'

Feelings of distress washed over him suddenly at thought of the possibility of him not coming back.

Before he could think it through, he was sending another message. 'Hey, you know you're all that's left for me right?'

The response was immediate.

'where did that come from? geez, you random sap, i love you too.'

He swallowed thickly and typed out his last message.'I'm sorry.' before quickly slipping out of his hotel room and ignoring the texts that came after it.

_______________________

It was getting dark and the air was heavy as Levi made his way through Paris's crowded streets, blending in completely with his white dress shirt, blue tie, black dresspants and a black, squared suit case between his fingers.

Erwin was already there, hidden from sight yet still close enough to hear everything.

Levi was going through the streets without a second look, the place he was heading to memorized by heart.

It was so cliche when he got there, stepping into a dark,obscured, dingy alleyway surrounded by cracked brick walls.

His heart started hammering against his rib cage at the pairs of eyes watching him like hawks.

They stood a far distance away and just stared at each other for a moment, before a sickeningly sugary voice cooed," Look who decided to finally show up. Rivaille~"

He glimpsed a row of white teeth in the dark, realizing it was that bitch who was at Eren's school.

He wasted no time in throwing the black suit case to the ground, giving it a kick in their direction and it slid to their feet.

"1.2 million US D." His response was clipped and to the point.

She leaned down and clicked the suit case open, taking out a stack of cash and flipping through it.

"But this is such a small amount for your precious Eren."

"It's what you asked for." He hissed between gritted teeth.

She stood up and cocked her hip. "I suppose..."

"But that's not what we want anymore."

Arms promptly hooked around Levi's from behind, and said man automatically gripped those arms and flung the man around.

He threw his hand to his hip and shot the bearded man on the ground twice before ducking as several gunshots rang throughout the air. 

It was a blind game of hit-and-duck due to the dark and Levi somehow hit two more of his targets, but he was still out numbered by the blonde bitch and the dark haired man with sporadic twitching.

He wasn't sure which one was creepier as he stooped down in a corner to see if he could catch them off guard.

There wasn't any movement in the dark after several minutes, and he made his biggest mistake then by stepping away from the corner and that's when they both caught him.

He was gripped again with the same method as earlier but couldn't move this time due the other who was holding him from the front, and he was sandwiched by the two freaks.

Heavy breathing hit his face and he tried to struggle but was caught too tightly.

"You wanna commit your crimes and just leave like nothing happened, don't you?"

The twitching man in front of him whispered harshly, every syllable breathed against the raven's face.

"You wanna continue your life like a normal person? Be clean in every sense like your hands weren't just as blood stained as ours."

One of the hands gripping his arms was removed and he knew that this was it, he was done for.

The hand returned, gruffly tugging up his sleeve before the prick of thin metal was pressed against the inside of his arms.

Fuck. The raven's eyes widened, breath becoming shallow as he realized what they were doing. 

"I'll show you what you're worth. You don't deserve to die quickly. It'll be slow, nostalgic, and dirty on the inside. Kinda like sex." The man said with a short laugh, and Levi felt the needle break his skin and go deep.

Shortly after the syringe was empty and the needle was out of his skin, he felt his mind start clouding with the effect of the toxin and he slid to the ground.

Erwin was alarmed when Levi got released and collapsed, unable to see anymore clearly due to the distance and dark.

When he saw two of the gang members run out of the alley he quickly shot at them both with deadly precision, not giving it much thought.

He found Levi crumbled against the wall, head between his arms as he struggled to breath. 

He lit a flash light around the place because Levi wasn't bleeding or injured in any visible way.

Then the beam of light illuminated an empty syringe on the ground, and Erwin froze because if they had injected him with full vial, even if it contained any sort of drug they'd be in deep shit.

He collected Levi into his arms and prayed that it wasn't Heroin.

 

_____________________________

 

Eren was freaking out the next morning at school and Mikasa and Armin were trying but failing to calm him down.

"What the fuck?! I'm sorry? What's that supposed to mean?" Eren exclaimed as they trudged to their lockers.

Armin groaned."Eren. There has to be an explanation for it, so just wait until he responds or something."

"He hasn't responded since yesterday!"

"He's probably just busy."

"Ughhhhhh."

Mikasa gave the brunet a side ways glance, who was currently pressing his forehead against his locker."Drama queen."

Eren glared at her halfheartedly.

They both accompanied him back home that day, afraid that he'll do something stupid like phone the police. They're attempts at getting his mind off of the texts all failed, what with him staring at the floor throughout the movie, biting his lip and checking his phone every few minutes.

His ringtone blared throughout the room and he squealed when he saw it was Levi. He quickly answered, wasting no time in screaming "Where the fuck were you?!"

There was a pause. "Is this Eren Jaeger?" A deep, slightly accented voice replied, one that was definitely not Levi's.

Eren's expression went blank for a moment as he sat back in his seat, his two best friends giving him quizzical looks.

"Yeah...Who's this?"

"I'm Erwin smith, an old friend of Levi's."

The brunet licked his suddenly dry lips."I've... heard a name like this before.Um...where's Levi,though?"

He received a deep sigh on the other line, and he didn't get an answer.

Brows suddenly creasing, he gave Armin and Mikasa a panicked look.

"I asked you where Levi was." His voice was quickly losing steadiness.

"He's been injected with an overdose on heroin. He's currently being treated."

"Are you fucking shitting me? He...Levi doesn't do drugs!"

"He wasn't the one who injected himself."

The phone slipped from Eren's suddenly buttery fingers, hitting the floor with a thump.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay fluff...kinda

Eren just froze for a few moments after what he heard,and Armin picked up the phone and finished the conversation. When the call was ended, they went into an almost dazed silence, anticipating Eren's reaction.

He finally spoke up, although very quietly. "How bad is it?"

Armin wrung his fingers together, hating to be the one breaking the bad news to him. "Heroin is probably the one thing you don't want to overdose. I'm not gonna lie to you, Eren, he could fall into a coma or get blod clots. There's ...also the fact that some type of poison was synthesized with the drug..." He trailed off when Eren encased his face with his hands, resting his elbows on his knees and hunching his shoulders.

"I'm sorry."

___________________________

Days passed by agonizingly slow, and after the two weeks were over and Levi still wasn't back, Eren was becoming an absolute wreck. He stayed in contact with Erwin but the most he got was 'he's getting better' and 'treatment's working'. Whenever he asked about how it happened, Erwin would tell him to ask Levi. When and if he recovered.

He wasn't inresponsive this time as his two best friends noticed, he was more frustrated, jittery and sleep deprived. By the wednesday of the third week he asked Mikasa and Armin to give him some time alone, and even though they were reluctant to do so at first, they let him be.

He was incredibly tired the next day, this because of his emotional exauhstion and small amount of sleep. After he took a shower and got some shitty response from Erwin, he found himself almost guiltily padding into Levi's room, even though knowing that no one else was in the house. The door creaked slightly when he gave it a push, revealing Levi's untouched and spotless room. It left an aching emptiness in his heart to see everything as it was, as if he never existed in the first place. 

Taking another glance at the room, Eren mindlessly plopped face first into the bed and curled under the cool comforter. Levi would have probably killed him for doing so with his shower damp hair. 

But he needed this right now, some sort of comfort to keep him stable. And it worked,because soon he was dozing off into a sound sleep, Levi's scent lingering in his senses.  
___________________________

Mikasa and her mother were sitting patiently by the arrivals gate, the former feeling relieved for once at the prospect of seeing Levi. 

Erwin contacted them when Eren hadn't answered three days ago to tell them that Levi wasn't in a critical state anymore and that he was going back to Trost promptly. Armin took the chance and somehow convinced both Mikasa and Erwin to keep it a surprise for Eren, and here they were now.

When he finally appeared amidst the crowd, both sides noticed each other and Mikasa took in his incredibly pale and tired appearance, knowing that he probably rushed this trip instead of waiting to completely heal.

Mrs. Ackerman greeted him warmly and Mikasa even managed a small smile.

"Where's Eren?" Was the first thing that he said after.

The raven haired girl replied nonchalantly. "He doesn't know. We wanted to surprise him."

Levi's expression turned to slight shock. "That's cruel of you. He's probably sick with worry."

"Don't flatter your self too much." Mikasa shot back without any real venom in her voice.

Levi rolled his eyes. "Just in case he has a heart attack, though. Erwin's been feeding him lies for the past few days." They headed out to the gates, Levi adding as an afterthought,"Sorry for the trouble, Mrs. Ackerman."

Said woman waved it off with a flick of her wrist. "Don't worry about it." Then, sighing."Anything for Carla's son."  
___________________________________

Levi stepped into the house to find it very silent, but not uncomfortably so. He threw his bags and shoes off carelessly upon entering then treaded into the den. 

The tv was on a low volume, window open and gusts of spring wind billowing the curtains slightly. Everything else was in a devastatingly messy state, but Levi decided to groan about that later.

"Eren?" He called softly as he walked down the hallway and to Eren's bedroom. He knocked and when he didn't get a response, peered inside. 

Another heart wrenching mess, but no Eren. 

Sighing, he decided to change into comfy clothes first, going up to his room and stepping inside.

He didn't expect Eren to be in there, snuggled up against his pillows and asleep.

The corners of his lips curled up in a fond smile at the endearing sight, with brown tufts of hair fanning against the brats forehead and breath leaving in small puffs.

It wasn't a sad and an almost panicked feeling anymore when he looked at him, knowing that there wasn't much that could threaten his little brat now that the Titans were gone. It was a calm and sweet feeling when he kneeled by the bed, gently brushing his bangs away from his face.

"Wake up brat."

Eren's eyes shut a little more tightly at that before they relaxed again.

"Oi, I said wake up." He flicked the boy's forehead lightly.

He tossed a little, brows furrowing. "Go away Armin." He slurred.

"I'm not Armin."

"Go away Mikasa."

"It's Levi."

"Levi isn't here."

"Yeah, Levi's here."

Eren's brows furrowed more at that. "Jus a dream."

"No, seriously. Wake up and see." Levi pinched his nostrils together and he flinched away, in taking a breath. 

He rubbed at his eyes for a moment before turning his head in Levi's direction, opening his eyes a crack and blinking at Levi, who just smirked in return. 

He blinked more rapidly at that, face twisting in confusion before he pushed himself up.

"Levi?" He asks quietly. Then his eyes blow up in shock. "But..but Erwin said you were..."

"Bastard lied to you."

"Oh my god." It came out as a gasp, and he reached out with unsteady fingers, pressing the palm of his hand against the other's chest.

He was quickly losing composure when he felt the flit of his heart against his hand, looking up to his face."You're okay."

"Yeah..I'm okay." Levi confirmed, grasping the hand around his chest and bringing it to his lips.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Birthday time!
> 
> And kissing!
> 
> ...and Jean lol

Levi woke up to the small sound of breathing, an excessively warm body, and a brat tucked snugly to his chest.

He glanced at Eren's sleeping figure in confusion, unsure when they'd fallen asleep, before recalling how Eren had practically dragged him into bed with a constricting hug.

Lifting his head off of the pillow slightly, he blinked at the clock on his bedside dresser. They'd slept through the afternoon, apparently.

 

A yawn escaped his lips as he pushed himself up, taking a sitting moment to feel less bed-stricken. He sighed, realizing that it was time to wake sleeping beauty if he wanted to finish cleaning the house that day.

Thursday consisted of dragging Eren to school as he had already missed a day and was planning on another.

That, and some not-so-sinister scheming from Levi's part.

__ the next day__

The doorbell rang twice and Levi dropped the stupid strings of decorations to the ground before heading to the front door, unintentionally wiping glitter off of his palms and onto the front of his jeans. The door bell fired away and Levi swung the door open, irritably glaring at a two-toned brunet with Mikasa standing beside him.

Jean wasn't sure if he was turned on or terrified, what with the glittering thighed raven in front off him that balanced off his appeal with that scowl.

Mikasa pushed passed him and greeted Levi with a 'hey', who curtly nodded back.

Both headed inside and into the dining room, dropping their wrapped packages onto the table before heading over to the den.

"Here. You hang this up while I go check on the food." The older of the three handed Mikasa and Jean the stringy mess of glitter with a colorful 'Happy Birthday!' printed along it.

Jean stared at Levi's retreating figure(/ass) and earned a smack on the head from the raven haired girl beside him.

"Quit daydreaming."

 

Eren's group of friends soon were all present at the Jaeger's, each helping out in one way or another to set everything up.

Armin had grabbed Eren right after school and took him to the mall against his will, pretending to shop while actually just wanting a distraction until he was texted.

Eren was grumbling the entire time about how it was his birthday after all and Armin tried ignoring or avoiding that topic, much to the brunet's disappointment.

They had everything good to go back at the party in an hour, only waiting for Sasha and Connie to pick up their order of cake. When they finally arrived, Armin was signaled approval.

He dragged Eren out of the mall just as suddenly he'd brought him in. Said boy was feeling tired and slightly angry at his unproductive birthday, no one seemed to notice. Not even Levi. Come to think of it, had he even mentioned it to him...?

"Hey, can I stay over for some time?" Armin asked innocently as they headed up the paved path to his house.

"Sure." Eren shrugged glumly, and Armin smiled slightly in anticipation as the other stepped up the porch, following closely behind.

He shoved Eren down the quiet hallway and he protested.

"Stop it Armin, I am not in the mo-"

"SURPRISE!!!!" Came a collected holler just as the lights snapped on, before a loud popping noise and blasting confetti made Eren yelp and jump back a step. 

He stared with an alarmed expression at everyone for a split second before grinning widely. "You guys remembered!"

Sasha pattered to him, smacking him lightly on the head before replacing it with a ridiculous party hat. "No duh. happy birthday~!!" She glomped him and everyone else followed into a giant group hug. Except for Levi, who just rolled his eyes at the display.

It was just another cliche birthday party to anyone else, but it meant the world to Eren to see everyone mingle around him like this.

The cake had a text of 'Idk about you, I think you're turning 62 lol' in blue frosting. Eren blew his sixteenth candle, followed by his friends own twist of a happy birthday song.

They ate cake, mushed some in each other's faces and blasted music just for a background affect, but it somehow turned into a game of musical chairs with everyone falling into each other's laps.

Jean intentionally sat down onto Levi, who mercililessly shoved him off. When Eren plopped down onto Levi's lap at the vacancy of all other seats with a grin,he literally got kicked out of the game.   
They stopped there and decided on playing a game of twister that got them all toppled on each other in the end, and Eren would've laughed if he were'nt so suffocated.

Things settled down a little as they just sat around, ate and talked. 

Something odd washed over Eren at these calm moments, and he excused himself to the washroom before anyone noticed.

But Levi did, and saw him go into his room instead.

He followed him, knocking on his door lightly.

His response was a small 'come in' and he did so, finding Eren sitting on his bed with his knees drawn up to his chest.

Levi frowned at the sudden flip, padding over to the bed and flunking down beside him.

"What is it?" he addressed the distant looking boy, who took another moment of silence before answering quietly.

"It's just..weird. This is my first birthday without mom and...there's this empty feeling I'm getting."

Levi stared at the ground at that, lips pressing into a thin line."That's out of our hands. We lose things, less often gain them. But we have to accommodate with the changes."

Eren wiped vigorously at his moistening eyes with the palm of his hand, not wanting to sob like a child again.

"Think of it differently." Levi continued."This is your first birthday with my presence."

The younger smiled gently at that, glancing at him to the side. Levi looked back at him with a softening expression.

"Levi, I..." Eren began, instantly trailing of when he realized what he was going to say.

"Yeah?" 

"Never mind. Let's just go back out there." Eren smiled and it seemed almost forced, and Levi placed his hand on Eren's to stop him from getting up.

"You're still bothered by something." Levi stated.

Eren shrugged at that, eyes locking with grey-blue when he glanced up through his eye lashes.

He knew he was being dumb and acting in the heat of the moment, but Levi was just oh so close and he just couldn't hold back any longer.

Eren tilted his head upward and leaned forward a little, heart stuttering in it's beats when Levi met him halfway and the soft press of lips was felt against his own.

Everything suddenly made sense. His dropping stomach, erratic heart beats and swimming, drugged mind.

Levi suddenly made sense.

Strong fingers threaded through the back of his hair, pulling him closer, the flutter of lashes touching his cheek.

He parted his lips in a small whimper when Levi's tongue swiped over his bottom lip, and shit this was getting intense-

Until that fucking idiot of a horse decided to slam his bedroom door out of it's hinges.

"Yo, Eren, where'd you-" Jean froze mid step, eyes blown up and lips slightly drawing downward in a dumbstruck expression . Then he swiftly did a one-eighty and rigidly headed out, mumbling a series of incoherent swears as he did so.

No one asked when a straight faced Jean returned with Levi and a flushed Eren tagging behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the little crush Jean has on Levi
> 
> but u know that he won't try anymore after what he saw XD


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I was done with sadness :(

After the going-ons in Eren's room, said boy had become incredibly fidgety and tried distancing himself from Levi one way or another. But what the hell, they lived under one roof.

Levi was confused on the other hand, because wasn't Eren who had initiated the kiss? Did he regret it all of a sudden?  
He didn't like what was happening at all. Eren would jump if their fingers accidently brushed while giving each other something, avoided eye contact and spent less time at home.

Levi had a few therapy sessions because of the heroin overdose to make sure he didn't get addicted. Again. His history with the drug was another thing on the Eren-doesn't-know list.But Eren didn't ask, so Levi didn't bring it up. Like an insignificant gesture could ruin whatever it is that bonded them together.

But it finally crossed the younger's mind to ask, while they were having dinner one day.

"You didn't really tell me what happened in Paris." He said suddenly, tapping his fork against the rim of his plate distractedly.

"You didn't ask." Levi replied immeditaely.

"So? I'm asking you now."

"It's not important." Their conversations had turned somehow into this, gaurded and straight forward.

Eren's brow creased a little and he put down the utensil in his hand. "Someone attempted to kill you when you were supposedly visiting some harmless relatives." Eren air quoted that last part."And you're telling me it's not important."

"I don't want to talk about it." Levi didn't look up when he answered.

"But I do."

"Drop it."

"No! Why is it so hard to tell?"

Levi's lips pressed into a firm line."Fine. I was clearing my history with a gang. They followed me all the way back here so I went to settle things."

Eren went still as he took this in. "What did they want?"

"Money, at first. My biological parents were very wealthy. There motives changed, though. They attacked me afterwe met up, and I killed three of them. Erwin killed the other two after they injected me." Levi answered with nonchalance.

"Why didn't you just stay here? Why pursue them?" 

Levi could practically see all the questions swimming in Eren's mind.He apprehensivly said,"They killed Carla. Then...started targeting you. I needed to do something."

Eren stared at him with shock. "So you had an idea of what they would do."

Shit,Levi thought. That's exactly what he didn't want him to assume.

"No, of course I wasn't expecting that." 

"What the fuck?" Eren hissed,and Levi knew the blame was going to start.

"I couldn't do anything other than try to protect you." He gazed up and saw all the emotions swirling in turquoise, anger, confusion, devastation.

"Protect me?" He breathed between a mirthless laugh. Then, voice going compltetely dark. "Like you did with mother?"

Ouch.

"It's all your damn fault! You..you killed her!" He was on his feet now, fists balling onto the table.

Levi remained quiet, because he deserved this. Eren had every right to be angry.

"I hate you so fucking much." He said with a trembling voice, before pushing himself around and stumbling out of the dining room.

It's alright. Levi tried to convince himself, jaw locking tightly. His heart didn't feel like it was ripped out of his chest and stepped on. Or rather, by now he should be accustomed to this feeling.

It was suffocating in the small room all of a sudden, so he got up, grabbed his keys and phone then exited the house quickly.

Levi wasn't sure where he was going when he found himself mounted on his bike, helmet in it's place. His hands clenched and unclenched against the handles indecisively before he finally started it up and drove aimlessly in the night.

It got tiring hours later, it was getting darker and the road wasn't where he was supposed to be in the state he was in, so he reluctantly drove back home and decided to face it like the more responsible one. If Eren wanted to leave, then so be it. Grisha can't reject his own son.

He quietly stepped inside and slipped his shoes off, Eren was probably already asleep.

What he didn't expect, though, was to be grabbed from behind in a tight hug when he walked down the hallway.

Locks of soft hair brushed against the back of his neck when Eren pressed his head against his back.

"I'm so sorry." Came the muffled words.

Levi stood still for a moment, surprised, but then quickly eased in Eren's grip. "Why? What you said was true."

"No, it absolutely wasn't. I got pissed and took it out on the wrong person. I'm fucking terrible for saying all that to you after all that you've done for me." His voice was broken and small, like the child he still was."I love you. A lot."

Levi felt something inside of him alleviate."Same."

"Will you forgive me?"

"I didn't hold anything against you in the first place."

Eren let go of him then and tugged at his arm so that the raven was facing him.

He leaned upwards and Levi knew were this was going, and almost went along with it but then got himself to somehow resist, pressing a finger against Eren's lips and he paused, glancing up at him questioningly.

"If you act like a crushing school girl after this then no."

Blood quickly rushed to Eren's face and Levi tsked, amused. He then clutched Eren's chin between two fingers and pulled him back into the interrupted kiss.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another lame ass filler

Why was it that the most awkward and uncalled for conversations always happen around that damn lunch table? Maybe they should sit around a different one.

Jean was not-so-subtly hinting at the thingermaginger but thankfully no one was understanding what the hell he was talking about. Now, three and a half hours into the day, Eren was absolutely done with his bullshit and was ready to lunge at him and feed him his teeth again.

"Soooo, Eren, you kinda dissapeared for a while at your birthday. And Levi, too."Jean casually threw in with a major asshole expression, chin propped in his hand.

"Soooo, Jean, I think you need to shut the fuck about what isn't your business." Eren shot back, all too giving eyes glaring at him warningly.

Connie tapped his fingers against the table for a second."So did you." 

Jean shrugged."I kinda walked in on them...well..."

As much as Eren didn't want to talk about this right now, he still wasn't giving Jean the satisfaction.

"We kissed. Yeah, big deal." He quickly interjected, avoiding everyone's gaze.

Fuck. It was really quiet all of a sudden.

Then it all broke out at once. The 'ooohs' and ahhhhhs' and 'noooo Eren I wanted him!'

He carded a hand through his hair in frustration, knowing he was in deep shit because Mikasa still had yet to say something.

"That's kinda gross but really hot at the same time." Annie sighed.

"Eren and Levi sitting in a tree~" Sasha began.

"No, omigod, don't even-" Eren sputtered.

"F-u-c-k-i-n-g~" Connie finished, and he high fived Sasha.Then they paused and blinked at each other, before staring at the once again silent table.

Eren's chair squeaked loudly as he shoved himself up."I fucking hate you all so fucking much right now."

His face had ignited in that split second before he stormed off, and it was cute because even from a distance you could still see his red tinged neck and ears.

"You think we over did it?" Connie whispered when he was sure Eren was out of ear's reach, leaning onto the table.

"You over did it." Ymir corrected,raising a brow.

"Yeah, that escalated pretty quickly." Reiner agreed.

"Eren is so fucking adorable. Toughest bad boy around, but still so innocent." Ymir said with a smirk, and when confronted with Krista's questioningly look, she added,"No hetero."

Connie was either dying or laughing, it was hard to tell.

Mikasa still hadn't said anything.


	13. Chapter 13

Eren, in fact, did not act like a crushing school girl after they kissed again. He was confused, sure, but out of the discomfort zone. He was confused because what were they now after all that happened? Just thinking of the word 'boyfriends' to describe them makes him want to huddle against himself to cover his burning face. 

He didn't share these thoughts with Levi, because he was content in their current state and didn't want more or less. 

But then new people came into Levi's life and Eren misunderstood. Big time. 

Levi had invited some friends over one Friday night, and when Eren jokingly asked when he'd acquired such people, he got shoved a foot away.

He met these so called friends, which consisted of Hanji, a cheerful brunette of Levi's age with a mad scientist complex and his complete opposite. And Mike, a quiet blond tall man with a sly yet friendly smirk and an odd habit of sniffing things (including Eren). 

Eren didn't hang around, instead chose to do internet shenanigans in his room over hanging out with the geeky trio. 

Hanji was loud, annoyingly so, and the turquoise eyed boy reluctantly threw his noise cancelling headphones off since her voice penetrated through that too, and got up to see what they were up to.

He found them all on the floor, Hanji sprawled between the boys, head on Levi's lap and feet propped up Mike's back, who was currently playing flappy bird on his phone.

She was laughing about something to Levi, who just stared at her like she was totally insane, and when she saw Eren instantly grinned and acknowledged him.

"Hey baby brother! Come help me over here, I'm trying to get Levi out on a date with me cuz he's such a loner, but he won't budge." 

Her ponytail was tugged sharply and she winced in pain. "I am not a loner." The raven glanced down at her with disdain.

Eren blinked at the sight, before cracking a small grin. "Not anymore."

 

Levi glanced up at him with a fake smile before mouthing, ' shut your fucking mouth. '

Mike suddenly swore loudly before his phone went hurling across the room, and Eren grabbed it before it hit the ground, a small smile playing at his lips when he looked at the screen."Take it easy, it's just flappy bird."

-five minutes later-

A raging brunet rammed the stupid phone against the ground, each hit emphasis with a selection of "God fucking damn piece of motherfucking shit!"

And so he spent the rest of the night with them, all the while something constricting and edgy gnawing on his insides. It was Hanji, he knew it, but wasn't sure why at first, because she was incredibly charismatic and amusing, and was the easiest to get along with. 

Maybe it was because Levi occasionally laughed at her lame jokes, or because she was able to rest her head on the raven's lap without being shoved away, or maybe it was because Levi wasn't completely refusing her offering a date. 

And then Eren realized it, when Levi glanced at her with a half smile, that he was jealous. Big time.

 

And what pissed him off even more was that Levi didn't notice this, but maybe it was because he was trying hard to play it off fine.

Even when Hanji and Mike left, All Levi did was get up, ruffle Eren's hair with a 'good night' before heading into his room.

The teen headed into his own room and tried to sleep but unconsciously sulked instead, and for a good thirty minutes. 

He finally succumbed to his bothered state, bratily shoving his covers off and sliding out of bed. 

He tried to be quiet as he stepped outside his room, pausing for a moment to debate wether or not to wake Levi up and piss him off by his stupid teenage feels.

The brunet finally decided that he'd take the risk, and took the few steps to reach the room across from him.

He knocked on the door just in case, and was surprised to get a grunt in response, opening the door and a crack and getting inside.

The room was dark except for the light filtering in from the open door and from Levi's iPad, slightly illuminating his concentrated face.

The raven was sitting in bed, leaning against his headboard as he tapped at the device in his hand, clad in a black tank top and sweats. Fuck him and his half exposed sexy body, Eren inwardly thought in his still moping brain.

"Can't sleep?"And his sultry voice.

Eren shrugged at that, still just a shadow in Levi's view from his place in front of the light.

"Monsters under your bed are gone." He teased.

"But not the ones in my head." Eren mindlessly replied, and Levi glanced up at him with a quirked brow.

"Shit just got serious. Come here." He patted the place beside him and the younger walked over and plopped down beside him, probably feeling a little accomplished inwardly.

"What're you doing?" 

"Shakespeare." 

Eren scrunched up his nose."Das wrong."

"You're thinking it, you sick minded little shit."

"And you're just as sick for knowing that I thunk it."

"Thunk is this." Levi proceeded with smacking the brunet's thigh, and Eren yelped.

"So what's this about monsters in your head, huh? Listening to too much Eminem, I assume."

 

Eren folded his arms and shrugged again, unsure how to say I'm jealous without proving the others brat theory.

"Spit it out, brat." Levi pinched Eren's cheek, and said boy furrowed his brows and gazed up at him with his doe carribean eyes.

"Hanji." He muttered glumly, as if that name explained all his miseries.

Gunmetal blue were fixed on him for a moment in thought, before his pinched cheek was released in a small chuckle. "Hanji." Levi asked with an 'are you fucking serious?' tone.

"Yeah, Hanji." Eren shot back, bottom lip jutting out in an adorable pout.

"Jealous much, brat?" Levi was enjoying this more than he probably should.

Eren stuck his tongue out at him, pissed at giving him the satisfaction.

"Look, you're being a brat, as per usual, so let me get this straight here- Hanji is a friend, an intruding tease, to say the least, but obviously nothing more. And yeah, maybe we will go on that so called 'date', and drag Mike along too, so what?"

For once Eren agreed, he was a fucking brat about it. His face heated up, mumbling a small,"okay."

Levi smiled at the endearing boy."So are they gone?"

Eren gave him a confused look before grinning."Yeah. Hiding behind my eyes."

Levi rolled his eyes at that, before leaning his weight back against the headboard.

The brunet layed down and made himself comfortable beside Levi with a dorky smile, snuggling close to his side. Levi threw and arm around the younger's shoulder, going back to his reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone get that imagine dragons reference?


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plot twissssstttt (ish)
> 
> Why do I hate Erwin so much?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also posted this radioactive parody on Deviantart XD

They had fallen asleep at some point, and Eren only realized this when he woke up early in the morning. He always slept in late, but he kinda needed to use the washroom right now.

So he tried getting out of bed. But was somehow securely gripped. Groaning, he picked his head up a little and looked up with bleary eyes, being met with the sight of Levi's sleeping figure. Um...underneath him.

"What the..." He mumbled, glancing back at Levi again. He was currently nestled on top of him, his arms wound around him. Sighing, he nudged Levi's chest with the palm of his hand. "Levi."

Being the light sleeper he was, he promptly stirred at the gesture. "Leviiiii..." Eren urged, feeling the burning necessity increasing. This time one of Levi's eyes subtly peeked open, and Eren momentarily forgot about wanting to get out of bed in the first place, because he kinda enjoyed the view.When Levi's dark hair wasn't perfectly parted and brushed, he looked even more appealing, if that was even possible. How could anyone make cow licks look appealing?

"What?" 

"I have to pee."

Levi stared at him funny."Then go."

"You kinda need to let go of me first." Eren explained.

He got a small smirk in return, and goddammit Levi just needed to fricken stop-before he got shoved out of bed. 

Peeing was never so precious.

It was one of those lazy days when they dragged themselves around, unsure what to make of their Saturday when the sky was ripping with thunder and pouring gallons of rain outside. Eren tried to do some homework, but ended up sprawled on his bed playing league of legends while his docking station blared random music he was barely paying attention to.

Too bad Levi seemed to get a kick out of barging into his room at random intervals and scaring the shit out of him. "Will you give me a fucking warning?!" Eren squeaked, and Levi rolled his eyes. 

"Trying to catch you while watching your porn." Levi casually threw in, strolling into the younger's room fully garbed in his cleaning uniform, a swiffer in one hand, a vacuum in another.

"I do not watch porn!" 

"Yeah, yeah." Levi waved him off with a hand, eyes scrutinizing his room with a disapproving expression."Where the fuck is the floor?" he kicked a garment of clothing to emphasize his point.

"I don't wanna clean!" Eren grumbled, burying his face in his pillow.

"Exactly why I'm here. Your mess is getting under my skin." 

Eren heard some small noises of shuffling around before Radioactive's low music began. He almost instantly perked up when he heard Levi sing, as he'd always wondered how that smooth voice would sound in a song.

"I'm waking up," Levi started dramatically."To brats and dust,"

The brunet groaned under his breath at that. So much for sexy voice.

"I wipe my floors with great disgust." Eren turned his head and peeked at Levi with one eye, who was doing some sort of cleaning dance."I'm breathing in...the cleaning materials." He took a loud intake of breath and Eren's shoulders shook with mirth. And damn, his voice was incredible.

Once Levi got to the "Radioactive" part which somehow turned into "Swifferactive", the younger boy was tearing up with laughter and his room was becoming pristine.

Levi was definitely high on cleaning.

By the time he was done, he turned off the music with a look of irritation before he flopped back onto Eren's bed back-first. "Getting a migraine."

"It's April seventh. Also known as no housework day." Eren read off his laptop.

"Bullshit. Everyday is house work day. It's like Christmas, only a hundred times better and cleaner."

Eren gazed at Levi with an amused smile. Levi caught him staring and flicked his forehead."Take a picture, it'll last longer."

Before further commenting was made, Levi's ringtone vibrated somewhere in the den, and said man huffed before getting up and going to answer. He frowned at the caller ID for a moment, wondering why the hell Erwin was calling him all of a sudden.

He answered nonetheless, taking the couch and getting comfortable."Hello?"

"Hello, Levi." A pause."I'd like to talk to you about some important matters, if you're free."

"Go on." He drummed his fingers against his knee impatiently.

"No, in person."

Levi let out a small breathy laugh."But you're in France."

"I'm actually in Trost. Have been,for a few weeks or so. You know, work requirements and all."

Levi took a moment to take this information in. "Alright. When and where?"

Erwin gave him an address of a small Cafe downtown, and Levi promptly left to see what was the big deal.

They were sitting across from each other now, Erwin stirring his coffee with a concentrated expression that obviously didn't concern the cup on the table, Levi sipping on his tea while fixedly watching the blond man who seemed out of sorts.

A couple of minutes passed this way, the sounds of clinking glass and the hustle of customers lulling them into their own thoughts. Levi was slowly growing uneasy and suspicious about this mulling from Erwin's part, as said man was usually blunt and straight forward.

Finally, the older made some sort of noise, a heavy sigh, before looking up and meeting Levi's stare.

"Levi..."He began apprehensively."Petra..." An ache ripped through Levi's chest at just the mention of the name, realizing why Erwin was so cautious.

"Petra...didn't die. She's alive."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooooh
> 
> Promise to elaborate more on Petra and Levi's previous thug life next


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is a fuck-the-world type of drunk and Eren is amused.

Levi's body instantly froze. His hand hovered just above the cup on the table, shooting Erwin a blank expression.

Then he chuckled, low and fake as his hand fisted against the table. "What kind of a fucking sick joke is this?"

"Levi." Erwin's tone was almost pleading."I'm serious."

"You're trying to tell me that she's alive- when I was the one who found her and saw it with my own eyes." The raven's voice was still leveled but obviously reining anger.

"I was the one who took her to the hospital. You had no clue what happened after that, you didn't even ask."

Cold grey sliently and piercingly gazed at him.

Erwin's jaw clenched."I lied to you. She was alive and well, and still is."

"You're fucking insane! You-what are you even saying?"

The blond carded a hand through his hair with a sigh, for once at a loss of what to say other than that confession. "Levi...I couldn't just sit there and watch her life waste away. She had so much potential, and so innocent. You were ruining her, and I felt the need to help."

"Look here." Levi spat out between gritted teeth."If you had one fucking ounce of this so called empathy you're talking about, you would've tried saving me instead of leaving when I needed you the most. So don't try playing the good guy."

"You were too far gone.Hopeless."

"Look at me now." (( fresher than a mother fucker XD))The raven threw back, eyes narrowing challengingly.

"Are you bitter?" Erwin crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side with a look of faux sympathy.

Levi scoffed."You're not worth shit anymore."

Ignoring the insult, the blond continued."We're getting off topic."

"Cuz you won't stop bullshitting me."

"Petra and I got married."

"Erwin, you're a lunatic. She _died_." Levi swallowed thickly, nails digging into his arms.

"Good thing she came along. She's sitting in the car, I'll call her." With that the blond fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.

Levi's breath caught in his throat and he stared at the man across from him with disbelief. Liar. This isn't true. Petra's not alive. He was desperately trying to convince himself this as Erwin's lips moved, but he wasn't paying attention to what the man was saying.

He put the phone away and stared directly back at Levi.

A pause.

The sound of jingling was heard as the door swept open, and the raven plastered his eyes to the table in a vain attempt of escaping. Nothing happened for a few seconds, the same noises, same crowd, the same pattering of different foot steps. Levi couldn't handle it anymore. His pulse was impairing his hearing, heart knocking against his rib cage. Then he looked up finally.

A petit girl stood just in front of the glass entrance, clad in a casual knee-high floral dress and a white mini jacket covering her shoulders and arms. Her feet were adorned with a matching pair of flats, and she stood with her fingers wrung together. Auburn hair that fell just above her shoulders was parted at the bangs and framing her face. Caramel colored eyes were apologetically fixed on the raven.

Levi reached a point were he didn't know what to feel anymore, rage, pain, shock, betrayal - he was just numb all of a sudden and absolutely fed up. His chair screeched against the tiled floor as he suddenly pushed back and stood up, completely averting his gaze from both Erwin and Petra, sliding his hands into his pockets and striding over to the main doors with what little composure he had left.

Petra was rooted in place, eyes on the ground as the other approached, and was at a loss of what to do when he brushed passed her without missing a beat. On impulse, she grabbed his arm with a timid hand, the male's name escaping her lips pleadingly.

Levi pulled his arm out of her hold with a firm expression, still not meeting her eyes as he hissed out a " _Don't_  ."

She instantly recoiled and watched as he quickly left the cafe, swiftly turning a corner and disappearing out of sight. Then she let her tears fall.

When the raven was sure he was out of sight to the general public, he swiveled around and his fist collided with a brick wall, some dust and rubbish crumbling down in the process. He hated being numb, he desperately needed to feel something, and that served as a good enough distraction. He took one small glance at his scraped and bleeding knuckles before continuing on his way.

 

Eren was freaking out. No matter how many texts he fired away, how many times he called, Levi just wouldn't respond. Goddammit. It was getting dark, and even though Eren knew better than to worry about his twenty some badass brother, he still couldn't help it. Levi never disappeared like this, at least not without some sort of knowledge from Eren's part. All he was told was that he was going out on business or some shit, and the younger was worried sick and assumed it was another mess with a gang.

He was just about ready to officially panic, when Levi finally showed up at some ungodly hour in the night, and Eren all but threw himself at the raven.

He rambled some incoherent shit in his ear and Levi tried prying him off. "Get the fuck off me."

"No! Hey, are you okay? You feel like you're ready to topple over."

"I didn't drink _that_ much."

Eren pulled back and stared at Levi for a second."You're drunk."

"Nooo,really?." He slurred, before pushing passed him and stumbled into the living room, sinking into the couch.

Eren grinned at that. Levi was adorably ungraceful for a change.

"You don't usually waste your self that much." Eren sorta asked as he took the seat beside said man.

"My dead girlfriend doesn' pop outta nowhere in those days." The raven almost casually piped in, throwing his arm back against the top of the couch.

The brunet gave him a funny look, raising a thick brow."What?"

Levi huffed a breath."She died. I saw it with my own eyes. It's all Erwin's fault. Fuck Erwin."

Eren's face scrunched up with confusion."What does Erwin have to do with your dead girlfriend?"

"I don't fuckin' know. Maybe it's because he hid her away from me and now they're married? what the actual fuck?" Levi tilted his head in Eren's direction.

"Okay, so your dead girlfriend's alive, and Erwin's a douche. Let's just leave it that."

Levi nodded in approval."Sounds right."

Eren let out a small laugh after, still not realizing the severity of the situation and completely amused. Levi tiredly rubbed his eyes, and the younger paused for a second.

"Holy shit, what did you do to your hand?" He grabbed Levi's wrist and stared at the injured knuckles, and the other tried brushing it off. "My battle wounds. Let my hand go."

"You're an idiot! I finally get the pleasure of calling you that."

"Well congratulations, asshole."

"No really, what the fuck? You'll get it infected. Get up." Eren exclaimed as he pulled the raven up and dragged him to the washroom.

"Let me go, Jagermeister. Come to think of it, I think that's what screwed me up tonight."

The brunet rolled his eyes as he led Levi into the washroom, instantly starting up the tap and running the injured hand under it.

Levi visibly winced a little as Eren washed the blood off with soap and water, although the boy tried to be as gentle as possible.

He dried it off with a towel then grabbed the first aid kit and fumbled with the contents for a while before pulling out gauze and bandages, then held Levi's hand and applied the gauze onto his knuckles. Levi watched as Eren worked, a concentrated expression on his face as he tried wrapping the bandages with precision.

The boy's soft fingers holding his own and the caring gesture altogether triggered something in his drunken mind and in a second he had Eren pinned against the wall, smashing their lips together. They kissed haphazardly to say the least, one with a mind hazed by toxins and the other hazed just _because_. Eren tried commenting about how they should probably be doing this somewhere other than the bathroom but Levi was having none of it.

Godang, this was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, I'm just gonna stop right there, I was handspazzing while writing the last part because how do you even write making out ghsdfjjjikghfhjksmfgjhfg
> 
> I'll confess I've never been kissed before. Before u laugh I got some time, k? I'm only 15.


	16. Chapter 16

Eren was sprawled on the sofa, browsing through tv with no real interest when Levi stepped out of the washroom vigorously drying his hair with a towel.

"Look who finally came out. Showering beauty."

"Thanks. At least I use my time wisely."

"League of Legends is more time wise."

"That sentence did not make sense at all." Levi muttered as he made his way passed the den.

"I don't give a fuck~" Eren sang.

Levi shuffled back just to whip him with the wet towel, and the brunet squeaked.

After throwing on some clothes and running a brush through his hair, he went back to his brat, shoved his feet off of the couch and occupied it instead.

"My head is on the verge of exploding. And my neck looks like it's been ravaged by an animal, what the shit." Levi honestly had no clue what happened yesterday after he came home, but was sure the bite marks had something to do with Eren.

Said boy chuckled smugly. "I got more on you." 

Levi tsked and traced a hand over the bruised flesh."they're called love bites for a reason."

"Shows how much I love you." Eren said before retreating under a cushion to hide his face.

Levi rolled his eyes at that with a smirk.

"Hey, Levi? You said some weird stuff last night. Something about Erwin and a dead girlfriend."

Oh. The raven had been trying to avoid even thinking of that topic this morning. How much had he said?

"Did I? I must have been really out of it,then." He said casually, but Eren knew when he was averting something.

"So it's true?"

"I just said it wasn't."

Eren's voice suddenly went earnest, and he pulled himself up into a sitting position."Levi." 

"No really, it doesn't concern you."

"Since when what concerns you doesn't concern me?" The younger was getting riled up quickly.

"Since it involved my past." He deadpanned. 

Eren went quiet at that. He turned away from Levi, grabbed the remote and tried to look immersed with whatever was currently on.

Levi sighed after a moment. "I just don't want to think about it right now. Call it running away from my problems or whatever, but I need to just...stop thinking so much for a while."

"Okay." Eren said softly.

"Quit sulking." The brunet made a noise of frustration when Levi shoved him off the couch, before grabbing his cushion and smacking the other.

He internally 'oh shit'ed when the item fell to the ground and revealed Levi's neutral expression.

Next thing he knew, he was lying back first on the floor with Levi on top of him, the cushion mercilessly going down on his face.

The room was filled with the sound of laughing that was occasionally muffled by a thud, and Eren's gay ass screams. 

At some point, they quit the hitting in exchange of some lip locking, Levi making sure the brat didn't get his mouth on his neck to avoid further damage.

They settled down after a while, unsure what do next when Eren gasped as if he just got the greatest idea.

"Do you have old pictures?" He asked Levi suddenly.

"I have an old album, but it's mostly you guys."

"Show me show me show me~"

Levi did so, returning with a grey, medium sized photo album, and plopped back down beside him.

"You asked for this. Baby pics alert." 

"Psh, so what?"

Levi opened it to the first page and laughed at Eren's expression. 

"Oh god, please don't say that's me." The brunet pleaded, scrunching up his nose at the picture of him probably just out of his mom's stomach being bundled up by a nurse.

"It is. This one looks better."The raven's finger trailed to the picture beneath it, and Eren's heart instantly sank. It was a picture of his mother holding him in her arms, still in a hospital bed as she wearily smiled at the camera.

When he didn't say anything Levi sighed."Let's just stop."

"No, are you kidding? Let's see more." He tried to wave it off even though it hurt a lot.

Levi complied, flipping to the next page and Eren almost instantly gasped. "Omg is that you? Give it here." He grabbed the album from the older's hands, put in his lap and leaned in close to stare at it.

A little boy had his arms folded on Carla's bed, standing on his tippy toes to get a glance at the baby she was holding. His hair was a little longer and lacked the under cut, framing his forehead and brushing against his ear. 

Eren squeaked something incoherent. "Shit you're adorable!"

A slight color dusted the man's cheeks and he snatched the book back, and Eren dug his elbow into Levi's thigh, dipping his head a little to get a closer look.

"It's you again. Aw. You look...yeah, you don't look happy. Shocker." 

Levi flicked his ear at the comment, and he shied away with a grin before returning to his position. It was the same little Levi, sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest, arms crossed over his knees, and chin resting on his arms. The look in his eyes was strange, one of sadness that was completely beyond his age. 

"That was my first day at the Jaeger's."

Eren understood then why he looked like that. They flipped through the thing which consisted of much baby Eren and Carla, and to Eren's relief no Grisha. There were a few more photos of Levi, a sleeping Levi with toddler Eren toothlessly grinning and pulling at the sleeping boy's hair, another with Levi feeding Eren, both boys in matching tank tops and shorts eating ice cream, Eren with a failed attempt at kissing his brother, which just turned into opening his mouth and gnawing at the others cheek (who had a horrified expression), but in none of them was Levi smiling. There was only one at the end where Levi was lying on his stomach, and a three year old Eren was lying on top of him with his arms wrapped around the other's neck, and was smiling down at him contentedly. Levi was smiling broadly, a single dimple on his cheek with an amused glint in his eye.

"You were such a loveable little brat." Levi's tone was fond, and Eren felt it do wonders to his heart.

"You mean I'm not anymore?" He teased.

"Don't be a little shit."

"No really. You still haven't actually said it out loud."

"They're strong words. If I say them a lot, they'll just lose their value."

"But you haven't even said them once." Eren grumbled bratily.

Levi intertwined their fingers together and brought the back of the younger's hands to his lips. His words were almost the most sincere whenever he initiates this gesture, and it never fails to make Eren's heart flit and stumble.

"I love you, Eren."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm seriously pondering whether or not to just stop right here.


End file.
